"Becoming MIT is a gem for anyone interested in American science, technology, history, or higher education. By exploring eight critical moments of institutional decision, this brief but eloquent book
Winner of the 2007 Pfizer Prize from the History of Science Society. Feynman diagrams have revolutionized nearly every aspect of theoretical physics since the middle of the twentieth century. Introduc
In the 1970s, an eccentric group of physicists in Berkeley, California, banded together to explore the wilder side of science. Dubbing themselves the “Fundamental Fysiks Group,” they pursued an audaci
Today, quantum information theory is among the most exciting scientific frontiers, attracting billions of dollars in funding and thousands of talented researchers. But as MIT physicist and historian D
DavidKaiser looks at four hundred years of modern European history to find the political causes of general war in four distinct periods (1559–1659, 1661–1713, 1792–1815, and 1914–1945). He shows how
Recent advances in baseball statistical analysis have made it possible to assess the totality of contribution of each player to team success or failure. Using the metric Wins Above Average (WAA)—the n
Winner of the 2007 Pfizer Prize from the History of Science Society. Feynman diagrams have revolutionized nearly every aspect of theoretical physics since the middle of the twentieth century. Introduc
Neither a random event nor the act of a lone madman—the assassination of President John F. Kennedy was an appalling and grisly conspiracy. This is the unvarnished story.With deft investigative skill,
While Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s first hundred days may be the most celebrated period of his presidency, the months before the attack on Pearl Harbor proved the most critical. Beginning as early as 1
The life and work of Freeman Dyson―renowned scientist, visionary, and iconoclast―and his particular way of thinking about deep questions.Freeman Dyson (1923–2020)―renowned scientist, visionary, and iconoclast―helped invent modern physics. Not bound by disciplinary divisions, he went on to explore foundational topics in mathematics, astrophysics, and the origin of life. General readers were introduced to Dyson’s roving mind and heterodox approach in his 1979 book Disturbing the Universe, a poignant autobiographical reflection on life and science. “Well, Doc, You’re In” (the title quotes Richard Feynman’s remark to Dyson at a physics conference) offers a fresh examination of Dyson’s life and work, exploring his particular way of thinking about deep questions that range from the nature of matter to the ultimate fate of the universe. The chapters―written by leading scientists, historians, and science journalists, including some of Dyson’s colleagues―trace Dyson’s formative years, his buddi
Pedagogy and the Practice of Science provides the first sustained examination of howscientists' and engineers' training shapes their research and careers. The wide-ranging essays movepedagogy to the c
How did MIT become MIT? The Massachusetts Institute of Technology marks the 150thanniversary of its founding in 2011. Over the years, MIT has lived by its motto, "Mens etManus" ("Mind and Hand"), dedi
This book recounts the story of one of the most memorable seasons in the history of major league baseball. Drawing on interviews with surviving participants as well as daily newspaper accounts, David
